By: Evel Fanfan - AUMOHD

More than 155 private homes and buildings in Cite Soleil are being destroyed without even a notice or compensation plan for the owners. This giant cleanup operation is being carried out by the firm, DYNCORPS, the chief agent of the American Embassy in Haiti with USAID as the financing source. This is taking place in front of the Place D'Arme in this poor, inner city zone and beside the new building serving as headquarters for both the police and the soldiers of MINUSTAH. The properties being razed were damaged by the armed violence which took place in this section over the past several years. Community members are organizing to resist this illegal action.

Rev. Eddy Michel, a preacher at the Christian church, The Apostles' Foundation, one of the institutions that is a victim of this operation, said he was, " completely astounded to find out about this cleanup operation with no warning, no explanation, or plan for compensation on the part of City Hall, MINUSTAH, or the American Embassy which together are authorizing, securing and financing this work." Lebon Isaac, Senior Pastor of the church says he is "the legal property owner of this piece of land on which we have been building the church since 1994", and, he reports, "this is the case for several other neighbor owners".

Yesterday a meeting was held between AUMOHD and CODEL, the committee of landowners, victims of this operation and the Mayor, Charles Joseph. After a long discussion it was agreed to hold another meeting with the people from USAID, DYNCORPS and the City Hall of Cite Soleil to reassess the case.

So AUMOHD is asking you to make an urgent call to the mayors of Cite Soleil and other officials to say that you (as defenders of the rights of the poor and voiceless) are aware of these serious violations (illegal appropriation of private property and impeding the exercise of the religion of the people) and ask them to intervene in this affair so that justice be done fairly for all the owners of these houses and/or lands.

For more information see the AUMOHD website.